Cavities are an infectious disease. Tooth decay occurs when tooth enamel is destroyed by acids, which are produced by bacteria that feed off sugars from the foods you eat. Most of the time, saliva protects your teeth. It’s natural for your tooth enamel to demineralize and remineralize. But when exposure to acid is prolonged or repeated, the tooth demineralization becomes permanent. That’s when cavities form.
Treatment:
For small or medium cavities, we use natural-looking composite resin (malleable paste) to repair your teeth and restore their function.
For major cavities, we use onlays or inlays. These are attractive solutions that can extend your tooth’s lifespan.
Endodontics
If you wait too long to treat a cavity, a simple treatment may not be possible. When the nerve is affected, the tooth must be devitalized with an endodontic treatment (commonly known as a root canal). This involves removing the pulp from the tooth in order to disinfect it and then fill the entire space with paste to create a seal. In some cases, endodontic treatments require two or three appointments. Devitalization may also be required if the pulp of a tooth has been affected by physical trauma.
To ensure exacting precision and top-quality care, we use a surgical microscope that allows us to magnify the treated site up to 40 times.
A tooth is more fragile after being devitalized. Inlays and onlays are lab-made restorations that will increase the tooth’s strength and longevity.